Guardian Angel: Continued
by Sergeant Daniel
Summary: Originaly belonged to N. Cornello. Completely AU. RizaxEd. In a world full of magical creatures there's a rare and special bred called Angels. But even rarer are Guardian Angels. Shunned by Society, Angels hide in the midst of the common of creatures. Demons. But one Guardian Angel gets caught up in something that he didn't expect. Got permission to continue.
1. Introduction

**INTRODUCTION**

**The Species:**

**Demon: Common.  
**Demon, the most common species in the GA world. They look like humans, talk like humans... actually their a lot like humans in every way except that they can control elements and do magic and stuff. Half demons are also very common. A half demon is produced when a demon mates with another species of any kind. There are different classes.  
**1st Class **The weakest of the bunch**  
2nd Class **Stronger than 1st class**  
3rd Class **Stronger than 2nd class**  
4th Class **Strongest of all the classes**  
½ Class **Not purebred, power varies but never stronger than 4th class

**Fairy: Discrete but somewhat common.  
**People with fairy wings. Come in two sizes; small and human sized. They control elements and have close connections to their element and are close to animals.  
**Fairy: Earth, Ice, Water, Fire, Air etc.**

**Angels: Extremely Rare.  
**People with feather wings. They are so rare that when they are found, most are shunned by society. There are four classes.  
**1st Class **One wing. Weakest of all.**  
2nd Class **Two wings. Average.**  
3rd Class **Three wings, two side by side and third is below the right/left wing. Strong.**  
4th Class **Four wings, two big wings between shoulder blades and two smaller wings under the bigger wings and located lower back. Very powerful. Also known as the Guardian Angel.

**Other Magic Folk:  
Witches, wizards, sorcerers, sorceress, mystics, Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, Wererabbits, Wereanimals, Elves, Cerberus, Mage, Healer, Guardians and many others. **_**(Ps tell me if you know some and please explain...)**_

**About Floe:  
Small but developing town in the mountainous region. Has four seasons.  
Spring: 1 ½ months  
summer: 1 ½ months  
autumn: 1 month  
Winter: 8 months**

**UPDATE:**

**Witches**- magic bound humans with either one power, say ice, or a theme, pumpkins. Often seen as evil, though the good one have to work hard for the recognition of goodness. Human looking and tend to be lacking in some way.

**Sorceress**- Witches practically, but sorceresses have the ability to cover their natural flaws, therefore seen as seductresses. Often older, as in past the teens. Possibly a step up for the evil witches as all sorceresses are seen as bad.

**Wizards**- male version of a witch.

**Sorcerers**- male version of a sorceress, but the male is usually focused on bending as many people as possible under their will, whereas sorceresses are sometimes focused on seducing unsuspecting men.  
+Wizards and sorcerers generally hate witches and sorceresses and the feeling is mutual.

**Mystics**- Human, generally, sometimes with the ability to change into animals and often confused with werewolves/ Wereanimals but have tight connections with the earth and will often try to protect unnecessary forest clearing/tainting/damage.

**Spirits**- deceased. Usually with unfinished business although not usually seen by most.

**UPDATE NUMBER TWO:**

**Element Spirits – **can be any forms possible (animal, human those that appear human like demons, witches and mages and even sometimes the deceased.) They have the ability to manipulate Earth's Elements that being Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Metal, Wood and Electricity (energy).

**Medusa – **there can only be one in existence every 300 years or else all species would surely suffer from her ugly face and venomous face. Anyone that dares look at Medusa would either turn to stone, become completely insane with no chance of having back their sanity or becoming blind to the world.

**Oracles – **usually found in every town and city. Few and far in numbers and if a new Oracle is found he or she is sent to another place where there is a need for an Oracle. They are like Mages but they have more insight to the future and have prophetic dreams. The Oracles meet each other every six months to be kept updated with each other.

**Pegasus – **horse with wings and they come in size and colour. They are bred as messengers, presents (for the royal family stuff as well as peace offerings), to be researched, to be kept in zoos and to participate in racings.

**Unicorns – **they are horses with horns and are purely white in colour (though their horns can be of different colours and that is rare). They live in thick forests and are rarely seen and appear to those that yearn to see them, those that are lost in their forest and need guidance to get out or, in some very special cases, they appear forth to a soul that calls to them.

**Vampires – **are classified into one big group. They can turn into bats willingly though it takes lot of skill and mastery (being a bat can be very tricky and some vampires have even died because of failed concentration, bad navigation etc), they don't necessarily turn to dust in the sun's light; they merely get a very serious case of sunburn! They love the night because of their endless allergy to the sun light. They drink blood to live but most don't take more than necessary. They can be nice people sometimes.

**Werewolves – **people who are deadly allergic to anything silver (they seriously are! Their skin turns red and then they swell up and itch for the whole week!), so they keep as far away from it as possible! They have better senses such as hearing and the sense of smell. They turn into wolves when they feel like it (voluntary) and they are forced to transform into wolves on the night of the full moon. They may sometimes go berserk and the best thing to do then is... To get the hell away from them as fast as you can!

**UPDATE NUMBER THREE:**

**Hydra** - A giant tree like dragon with seven heads, each multiplying when you cut one off

**Minotaur** - A monster that is half bull, half man. It wears a golden ring in its nose, and enjoys eating young women

**Satyrs** - Half goat half man. They are generally good. All satyrs have curly hair, and horns.

**Nymphs** - Daughters or sons of the river

**Goblins**-a small, green creature that is somewhat humanoid. It possesses very large, glassy black eyes, its hands and feet are uncommonly long. Goblins are very skilled at craft work. They are proud creatures.

**Hobbits** - Short dwarfs that live in the sides of hills. They are completely humanoid, but are never above 100 cm. It's very hard to catch one.


	2. Chapter 1: Dating on July 7, 1922

**Chapter 1: Dating on July 7, 1922**

_**7th**_ _**July 1922, 12:05pm.**_

Riza looked around the snow covered town square and sighed. No Edward in sight. He was running late again, but she could wait. He was her beloved person, the person she was currently dating and her faithful boyfriend. He wasn't a morning person so that could be the reason why he's running late. Or he could be sending his sister to her friend's place.

Riza shifted slightly on the wooden bench as she waited. She pulled her tan colored coat closer around her body. It was mostly cold in the town they lived in. Floe was its name, meaning 'sheets or ice' and it kind of suited the town since winter was the dominant season.

Riza stared into the clear, afternoon sky. She remembered how she met him. She wouldn't forget it because he had met her at the worst possible time; her and her brother's mother's funeral.

**XxXxX**

_**12th**_ _**February 1920, 5:46pm.**_

_It was the day of the funeral, but it wasn't just anybody's funeral; it was her beloved mother's. Her beloved mother that smelt of roses and lilies, her beloved mother that was always there to comfort her brother and her was gone and she was never coming back._

_Her mother, Elizabeth Hawkeye, aged forty-four died of an illness that had no known cure at the time. She had been carrying the disease for some time, probably years from what the doctor said, and it had robbed her life. She had slipped away from the land of the living during the cold night, right beside the man that she loved the most._

_She left behind a husband, a son that wasn't her own flesh and blood and her daughter. She had slipped away from them and she hadn't even said goodbye. She just... left._

_Her father mourned silently, sorrow and grief coming off him in waves of distress. Everyone that came to the funeral remember the wonderful woman who had lived a life worth living, they remembered a woman who cared and they all said that she had been too young to die, she had such a path in front of her but she could not walk it for she had passed away._

_She was going to miss her mother; her smiles, her laugh, her beautiful copper-bronze eyes, her gentle and steady hand, her lullabies, her scent... Oh God! She was going to miss her so much! She was full of grief, sorrow, disbelief and so many more emotions. But at least she had shown it, unlike her brother._

_Her brother, Jean Havoc, he looked so lost. He was so shocked by the news that she had died. He kept looking at the covered body with disbelief and then nothing. His face – which was always so filled with emotion – became blank, as did his eyes and stare._

_It seemed like he didn't feel anything but how can that be? He loved her as much as Riza did so why didn't he show how sad he was? Didn't he grieve for the woman that had raised him up? Or was it nothing? Did it mean nothing to him that she had gone and she was never __**ever **__coming back?_

_Jean stared blankly at the coffin as they read their prayers. Riza had tears over flowing her ruby eyes, her father in a similar state except for fewer tears. And as the coffin was lowered and buried, the other people that came cried and sniffed and others whispered their condolence and some left._

_The family of Elizabeth Hawkeye stayed as the other people who attended the funeral left, one by one. Soon they were nearly the only ones there; except a young man that stayed behind. He stayed back a bit, to give some space to the grieving family, before the young man stepped forward._

_The young man was dressed in funeral clothes, white shirt, black pants and a black coat to match. He had amber eyes, short golden blonde hair and he was slightly tanned; he was also nearly as tall as Jean,_

"_Havoc."_

_Jean blinked and turned around, even their father turned to see this young man that had yet to be named. Jean stared at the man for a moment before he blinked again._

"_Ed?" he rasped._

_The young man – now named Ed – nodded, his amber eyes filled with empathy and sympathy. Ed looked at Riza and her father before giving a small bow to them._

"_I am sorry for your loss, my sister and I send our condolences," he spoke quietly before straightening up and looked at Jean, who was staring blankly at him._

"_Ed..."_

_Ed walked beside Havoc and pulled his arm, guiding him a bit away from the other two. Jean stumbled slightly after him, before they came to a stop, a short distance away._

_They were a bit away and Riza had to strain to hear what they were saying. Ed spoke lightly, softly and his words had a truth that seemed that what he said was no lie, and it was only the truth. Jean spoke just as softly but slightly blank and emotionally detached._

"_Havoc, I know that losing someone important is devastating but you have to move on. Your mother would want you to move on..."_

"_How do you know that? Tell me Ed, how would you know that?"_

"_I know that she didn't want to leave. She wouldn't want to leave you behind; she wouldn't have left you and your family if she had a choice... Sometimes people just don't wake up anymore... They close their eyes and they never open them again..."_

"_It hurts, Ed... I don't know what to do anymore... She was always there for me and now I don't have anyone to turn to... I feel so lost Edward..."_

"_I'm here for you; my sister is here for you as well. I'm sure your father and sister will be there for you Jean. Remember, you are not alone Jean. I'll be here for you, I'll listen to what you have to say, I'll always be there for you; I've got your back... I won't leave you to lose yourself, I'll be there for you whenever you need me, and I'll be there..."_

"_And if you can't?"_

"_I don't make promises I can't keep. And I will always be there for you, Jean."_

_Suddenly, Jean's blank face broke into a mask of complete heartbreak and pure angst and his shoulders shook with sobs as tears ran down his face, as gasps and teary sobs came from his mouth, as he crumbled his blank façade broke away to reveal a very broken young man who had lost a treasured one._

_Edward held her brother as he cried and sobbed, as he __**grieved**_ _for the mother they shared, as he hiccupped and his mouth opened to say words but they were choked away by sobs and tears and __**grief**__._

_All the while, as Jean cried, sobbed and grieved, Edward kept his hold on him, not caring that his black coat was getting soaked with salty tears, softly murmuring words of comfort, words of understanding, and words of __**grief**__._

_Riza found herself tearing up again as she watched her older brother breakdown and succumb to his grief; as he cried and sobbed, as he grieved. _

"_D-don't l-leave me alone E-Ed! D-don't l-l-leave m-me please... D-don't g-go... D-don't leave me behind!" Jean choked out as he sobbed and clung onto the young man like a life line._

"_I won't leave you Jean. I'll only leave if you ask me to but other than that I won't leave you alone... I promise that to you Jean," Ed soothed as he rubbed Jean's back as a gesture of comfort._

**XxXxX**

_**7th**_ _**July 1922, 12:09pm.**_

Riza blinked at the baby blue sky. She remembered that day very clearly, it was such an emotional day for everyone. And after that, Ed came over to her place ever day to make sure Jean was alright. He was there to support, he was there to sooth and he was there to heal. He did all those things for Jean and he did it for her as well. He helped all of them recover over their tragic loss.

Suddenly arms wrapped around her scarf covered neck and warm breath cascaded against her ear. She smiled. He finally arrived.

"Well, hello Edward," Riza greeted lightly, not turning around to see her boyfriend. He laughed and pressed a small kiss on her ear.

"I told ya to call me Ed, Riz. Have you been waiting long, love?"

Riza looked at the clock and it read; 12:10pm. "I've been waiting for 10 minutes."

"Well that wasn't so long," the arms moved away, leaving her to feel slightly cold due to the loss of the solid warmth, and he walked in front of her and smiled, "Shall we go to Coffee Cabin and extra, dear?"

Riza smiled lightly and stood up. "Of course, that's where we agreed to go, right?"

Ed smiled sheepishly and nodded. He took her hand into his left and they walked through the snow covered side-walks, towards the small café that was tucked in a small corner near a library named 'Snowy Dayz Library' which was old but still in good condition.

Coffee cabin and extra. The place where she and Ed had first gone to when they had just started dating, on 23rd October 1920.

**XxXxX**

_**23rd**_ _**October 1920, 2:04pm.**_

_The café was themed red and white. The chairs and tables were white, the walls and floors were a mixtures of red and white while the table cloth and curtains were red. It was cozy, well, somewhat cozy._

_They were shown to a table near the window where the waiter gave them each a menu and told them to call when they were ready to order. They both looked through and had decided before they called the waiter over._

"_What will you be having madam?"_

"_I'll have latte and butter cake. Edward?"_

_Ed looked at her before looking at the waiter and ordered a coffee, black, and vanilla cake. The waiter took the menus and left with their order._

"_So, Edward, have you been to this place before?" Riza asked as she looked around the café._

_Edward shook his head, a small gentle smile on his face. "Nope, I wanted to try it out for a bit but thought I'd try it out with you. Al said it was alright though the service needs more smile in it..."_

_Riza blinked. "I guess they do. This place looks cheerful and yet the waiters aren't smiling at all..."_

"_Maybe they just need a few waitress' and they'll be happy~!"_

_After that they talked a bit and drank their coffee and ate their cake, trying each others' and talked a bit some more before they left and split the bill. It was a nice day but it could have been happier when the waiters smiled a bit more. Other than that it was a nice day._

**XxXxX**

_**7th**_ _**July 1922, 12:13pm.**_

"What are you smiling about, Riz?"

Riza shook her head, snapping out of her happy memory and looked at Ed who was looking at her with a thoughtful expression.

"Oh nothing really. I was just remembering the first time we went to the café, that's all," she stated flatly.

He blinked before he smiled and pulled her into a hug. She yelped as she twirled into his arms and he hugged her, his arms around her waist, his head in the crook of her neck. He planted a warm kiss on her neck and she felt him smiled against her skin.

"Well, that would have been an almost perfect day if the waiters smiled at least. Well, now we're kindda lucky that the owner hired some waitress' and now the waiters are smiling. Told ya that the waiters needed some ladies around and then they'd smile."

She laughed softly and wrapped her arms around him, her fingers playing with his black coat. She smiled at whispered, "What if I worked there?"

She felt him tense and fought the urge to laugh. Ed was very protective of her and his family (also people he considered family like Jean, her father and many others).

"Well, those waiters better not touch you or they're dead," Ed muttered heatedly.

"But then you'll be banned from the café," Riza queered.

He breathed a soft sigh that brushed her ear.

"I wouldn't mind, as long as your safe, then it doesn't matter."

Riza smiled and muzzled her forehead against his shoulder and he gave a small squeeze before he pulled his arms from around her and he placed a small kiss on her cheek.

"As long as you're safe and happy, all the trouble after that will be worth it."

Riza blushed lightly at that. Ed was always so protective that he would do anything to protect the people dear to him, even people that were dear to her. He was truly something.

"Shall we go into the warm café? Or should we remain out here and freeze our ears off?"

"I think going inside where it's warm is better than freezing out here."

"Alright, love. Let's get going then, its right round the corner."

They linked hands and walked towards the warm café where the place was warm and they could order cakes and warm coffee.

**XxXxX**

_**7th**_ _**July 1922, 9:37pm.**_

They had walked through the woods and then they walked back to the Hawkeye residence where Riza lived with her father and brother. They were standing outside of the door, in the cold evening air with snow covering the ground.

"So I'll be seeing you soon?"

"Of course you will! I'll be there for you, all you have to do is call and I'll come over," Ed said, smiling lightly.

Riza smiled back and pulled him into a hug. He hugged back and placed a soft goodbye kiss on her forehead.

"See you soon, Ed," Riza murmured quietly.

"See ya later, love," Ed replied, just as soft.

They pulled apart and Riza walked up her steps and opened the door. She looked back at him and he smiled as he waved at her, still where he stood earlier. She smiled and waved back. "Good night Ed, sleep well."

"Right back at you, love."

Then she closed the door and leaned against the door. She was tired but content. Today had been a great day, just talking casually, having coffee and cake, taking a walk in the snow covered woods and have Ed drop her off at her door. He was so sweet... Or just nice and protective.

She was happy that she loved him. She had brought happiness into her life when it was crumbling. He was her light and she loved every bit of that light that continued to guide and support her.

Now, time to prepare for bed and then tomorrow she was going to have to wake up early for practice at the shooting range.

**XxXxX**

_**7th**_ _**July 1922, 9:57pm.**_

Ed walked back to his place through the darkening evening, not that it was light to begin with. He walked past the park, past the bakery and took a left, then a right and another left. Moore Street was the street where he lived. It was a place full of terrace houses and he owned the one at the end, number 7511; it was one of the terrace houses with a big back yard and he liked the extra space.

He took his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He slammed it behind him and locked it again He took off his black coat and he was just about to place the keys on the table when his back, four places on his back, suddenly erupted in pain. His amber eyes widened.

_No. No. No. No, not now! Anything but now!_

The pain didn't subside; instead it grew more and more. Ed hugged his sides, trying to force back a painful scream. He didn't know when he fell onto the floor onto his knees but he did. Sweat poured down his face, his neck and it wasn't hot. He felt burning hot! He felt like he would suddenly burst into flames but he didn't.

Twinges of more pain, his back twitched under his grey sweater before something pushed out from under his skin. He felt them move, as they yearned to rip out of his back so that they could finally stretch after being trapped under his skin for two months.

They shifted and he felt them slowly and painfully rip out of his back. He gasped out a painful breath. They pulled at the sweater as they grew bigger and demanded more space. He heard the fabric tear and they burst into view. Four white wings, coated in crimson blood, were attached to his bloodied and burning back.

Blood crept down his back and pooled around him on the tiled floor.

Lights flickered on and he heard a gasp. Through the haze of pain he lifted his head and saw his younger sister, Allynn Elric.

"Brother!"

Then everything went black.


	3. Chapter 2: Things Happen

**Chapter 2: Things happen...**

_**8th**_ _**July 1922, 10:24am.**_

Riza closed the door behind her and walked out the gate. She was wearing a black top, blue pants, black boot and a cream colored overcoat. She was going to the range today to practice her aim for the up-coming regional competition. Hard practice provides satisfactory results, as her father always said.

She trekked down the town roads, passing the library and town hall before making a sharp right and walked down a path; a path that would lead straight to the town stadium where people of every kind practiced their sports of every kind, swimming, running, tennis and many others including shooting.

She entered the stadium, collected her equipment and went to the shooting range. She was going to practice until afternoon and nothing was going to stop her unless it was utmost importance.

She readied her equipment, placed her gear on, took her stance, took aim and fired.

**XxXxX**

_**8th**_ _**July 1922, 12:55pm.**_

Riza walked through the streets of Floe, going home after a whole morning of practicing. Now, she just had to go home and take Black Hayate for a walk then she would rest the whole day by reading some of her new books that she had bought from a few days ago.

Her house came into view and she smiled. She couldn't wait to see Black Hayate though he was quite old. He had been with the family for over fifteen years and he was never acting his age, always behaving like a mischievous pup.

Riza unlocked the door and opened it.

"Black Hayate! Come on, boy! We're going for a walk!"

She waited to hear the familiar pounding of paws against the wooden floor but none came. It was absolutely silent. Puzzled, Riza called out again but no result.

Riza walked around, searching high and low for that old dog but he wasn't in sight. After twenty minutes of searching, did she find him. He was looking absolutely miserable and he was lying on her mother's old reading chair.

"Black Hayate?"

He didn't raise his head and wag his tail like he normally would. He just lay there, looking at her. He looked his age now, tired and fragile.

She crept forward and touched his back and he yelped and whined in pain. Something was really wrong with Black Hayate; she needed to get him to the vet right now!

**XxXxX**

_**8th**_ _**July 1922, 01:34pm.**_

The phone rang and Ed looked up from the sink. He was feeling like absolute shit thanks to the bloody wings – that were now completely white instead of covered in blood, thanks to Allynn – that ripped out of his body. They were always so demanding! It was so infuriating!

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he grumbled as he walked to the phone and picked it up.

"Elric."

There was silence on the other end before a small sniff sounded. Was someone crying?

"_**Ed?"**_

Edward's blood ran cold. Riza was on the other side and she sounded terribly sad.

"Riz? What's wrong? Did something bad happen?" He asked softly. He was getting worried, she hardly sounded like this. She was very strong and she hardly ever cried; she only cried when it was very bad.

"_**He... he's gone Ed... Black Hayate's gone..."**_

"Gone...? Did he... run away or did he... did he...?" He didn't want to finish that.

"_**He died, Ed. They had to put him down. He was just too old a-and he h-had s-some kind or t-tumor in his s-stomach-h... He's g-gone, Ed."**_

Oh God! She sounded so sad.

"Shh, Riza. I'll be right over. Everything will be alright. Just wait for me and I'll be there as fast as possible," He said, quietly. He knew this was going to cost him a lot but Riza was more important.

"_**I will... See you soon, Ed."**_

Then the dial tone sounded from the phone. He placed it back into the cradle before he turned to go to his room. His room was nothing special. It was small and it was themed after the ocean; blues and turquoise, seashells on the bedside table and dolphin figurines on the windowsill.

He took a new blue shirt, turquoise sweater and dark blue slacks before went inside the adjoining bathroom. He placed the clothes on the hook behind the door. This was going to hurt and he knew that but he would do anything for those important to him.

He took a deep, shuddering breath before he folded his wings and forced them into his body. It was always painful but right after they came out a few hours earlier was absolute agony! They had a mind of their own sometimes and they did not want to be squashed back into his back just yet.

But he was determined to get to Riza and comfort her. He heard and felt them crack and shift painfully back into his back. Blood trickled down his back before the wings disappeared. The grabbed the first-aid kit and quickly wrapped his torso in bandages before hastily putting on his choice of clothes.

He walked out of the bathroom, grabbed a pair of socks and went to the front of the house. He was putting his black shoes on when his sister came out of the kitchen, which was right beside the front entrance.

"Brother! Why did you lock them away so quickly! You know it's very bad for you and your health!" Al scolded but he shrugged his shoulders and he felt the familiar twinge of pain.

"Riza needs help Al. Black Hayate just passed away so I need to comfort her. See ya later Al," Ed waved to her and walked out the front door before she could say anymore.

He grabbed his bicycle and sped away to the town's only animal hospital, 'Floe's Pet Service'.

**XxXxX**

_**8th**_ _**July 1922, 01:46pm.**_

Ed entered the vet and saw Riza, her copper-brown eyes shadowed with hurt and they were rimmed red, she had been crying. She was sitting in one of the vet's blue plastic chairs, a medium sized box beside her.

He walked forward and reached her in a few long strides.

"Riz, I'm sorry about Black Hayate. He was such a great dog," Ed muttered quietly.

Riza looked up at him and more tears fell from her eyes. He stepped forward and hugged her tightly. They stayed like that for a few moments before they broke apart. Ed looked at the box with a sad frown.

"Is that...?"

Riza nodded and sniffed. "Where do you think we should bury him?"

"By our tree... If that's alright with you..."

Ed nodded and helped Riza to her feet and Riza took the box. They walked out of the pet hospital and went to the woods where they buried their old friend under their favorite ancient oak tree that was located somewhere deep in the woods.

They walked back to Riza's house in silence. They were both lost in their thoughts when they realized that they were outside the house.

"Ed, can you come in? Please?"

Ed looked at Riza. His body was already heating up and his back was becoming increasingly painful. His logical side told him to decline and go home but his other non-logical and head-over-heels side told him to bear the pain and stay with Riza, at least for a little while.

"Sure, but not for too long alright? I promised Al that I'd cook dinner tonight," he said, though he kind of lied about the cooking dinner part.

Riza nodded and smiled, albeit a little bit sadly.

"Thank you."

Ed left his bicycle by the gate, remembering to lock it there, and followed Riza into her house. They both removed their coats and hung it on the coat rack before they went to the living room and cuddled on the coach.

After a few minutes Ed started to feel much warmer and he was feeling light headed and slightly dizzy. His back also hurt like hell. He placed his burning forehead against Riza's cooler neck and he heard her gasp.

"Ed?" She shifted and a colder hand touched his forehead and he leaned into the comforting touch. The hand was quickly removed and Riza moved away from him, probably to look at him.

"Ed, are you alright? You're burning up," Riza asked urgently.

"'M'kay. Just feelin' tired and slightly dizzy, is all..." His words seemed to slur together but he didn't really notice. He felt too warm and dizzy to think properly.

"Ed, I think you should go home, back to Al. She's doing medicine right? So she must be able to help you."

"Alright, if you say so. See ya later, love," Ed replied almost dreamily and walked back to the front door, took his coat and walked out after giving Riza a quick peck on the cheek as a small farewell.

He took his bicycle and went back home on foot. He was too dizzy to maintain his balance so that would mean that he wouldn't be any better on the bicycle.

He reached home, stuffed the bicycle in the shed and hurriedly went back into the house. He passed Al and ran for the bathroom. He removed his sweater and shirt and just in time too as his wings ripped through his back, tearing his skin and the bandages and blood poured down his back onto the white tiled floor.

He gripped the white sink and felt them stretch and his warm body started to lose its heat. He felt something bubbling up his throat and soon the taste of metal entered his mouth. He spat out the red liquid into the sink. Damn, that hurt like shit!

"I hate this shit... Had to be born a fucking angel and I suffer from it... Damn angels... I absolutely hate this shit!"


	4. Chap 3: Flash from the Past and a Vist

**Chapter 3: Flash from the Past and a Visit**

****_**22nd**_ _**July 1922, 11:23am.**_

Ed looked at himself in the mirror and frowned. He had black circles under his eyes and looked pale; in other words, in much shorter words too, he looked like absolute shit. Ed grumbled as he washed his face before taking a comb and brushing it through his blonde hair.

Today, Maria Ross and her husband Denny Brosh were coming over with their two sons, Kirby and Kevin Brosh. They were both good kids as well as their parents. Ed and Al knew their parents before they were even born.

Kirby Brosh was only seven years old and he was a bright kid even thought his appearance was a little bit different. Okay, a little bit different is not the right words because Kirby had been born with a special genetic code that came from both his parents; Denny was from a wizard/witch family whereas Maria was from a family of demons. Kirby Brosh was born with pink hair and ruby red eyes, making him different from the family but they cherish him a lot.

While Kevin Brosh looked like a mix of both his parents; having brown eyes and blonde hair. He was only five years old and he was already gifted in speech and magic, thanks to his father. He really admires his father and is almost a clone of him, if it were not for the brown eyes; everyone would be asking why Denny had turned into a little kid.

Ed stopped at that thought before a small smirk appeared on his face. Oh, he remembered someone like that except he does turn into a little whenever the sun comes up thanks to a curse a witch placed onto him. Oh, Ed was there when it first happened and boy was that hilarious.

Ed shook his head before he walked out of his bathroom and got dressed into a navy blue sweater and a pair of black slacks before he walked out the door of his room and went into the living room, which was on the left side of door, opposite the kitchen.

The living room was the by far the largest room in the house, besides the attic and basement. Its walls were painted a pale yellow – almost lemon yellow – color and a stone fireplace was against the wall. Two moss brown sofas, facing each other, were in the room and a wooden coffee table in between, with a few chairs around near the walls. Bookshelves lined part of the walls, which weren't occupied with chairs, and they were filled with books and picture frames. Your normal everyday living room.

Ed walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa before he leaned back and sighed. He was feeling like absolute crap as well. They – that being only Allynn and Maria – had planned this visit for some time and they agreed it to be today since it had been two days after _**their**_ sealing. He absolutely hated the sealing but in order to live a normal life he had to do it, even though it sucked a hell lot.

Maria would most like ask if he was feeling alright and then ask – more like demand – to know what had happened over the series of days. Maria was a friend to the family but she tended to act like a mother most of the times. She was one of the few people who knew what he was, and be okay with it. He closed his eyes as he remembered the day when she found out.

**XxXxX**

_**19th**_ _**September 1914, 07:29pm.  
**__Ed had been feeling like absolute shit and his back was hurting like hell and they being here was not helping. He was suppose to have let them out a week ago but no. There were two guests, a demon and a wizard no less, that had popped in unannounced and said that they plan to stay till the end of the __month._

_Shit._

_He couldn't wait that long, he had to let them out soon or else something really bad was going to happen. He had never kept them in for so long and he knew they were getting very impatient and they would most likely tear themselves free very soon when he was caught off guard and that was when they would free themselves from his chains._

_Ed, thirteen years old, and Al, twelve years old, were staying at the Rockbells place where they had been ever since their mother had passed away and they were safe because the Rockbells had always known about Ed's being as an angel. _

_Ed felt them shift and his back twitched painfully. He hissed in pain and hugged himself, in an effort to quell the raging anger of fury from the wings that reside within his back. His sister, sitting across him because of a puzzle they had been trying to solve for the pass hour, came forward and rubbed his back._

"_Does it still hurt, Brother?"_

_Ed could only nod as he felt them shift again. Damn that hurt! He really hated them as they did to him. He was only their host and they were his parasite, they depended on him to live and grow while he suffered as they leeched his life away._

_He wasn't going to live long thanks to those damn wings. Great, rare Angels his ass. They were nothing but beings cursed with power and bore the curse via feathered wings sprouting from their backs. Damn, fucking, cursed Angels!_

_Ed let out a shaky breath and willed the pain away before looking at his sister with a smile. She looked at him for a moment before she moved away and continued the puzzle (but she kept shooting concern glances his way but he just reassured her with small smiles and they'd continue with the puzzle)._

_When they were almost done with the puzzle when a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders, catching him completely off guard and someone said something like "Wow! You guys are good with puzzles!" If he said anything more, Ed didn't hear whatever that person said as his back was laced in firey pain._

_Ed hugged his sides and he felt them move and shift as they demanded to be freed and let loose; so that they can grow and stretch and breathe. He couldn't hear anything or anyone else clearly; everything sounded bubbled and filtered. He couldn't feel anything except the pain from his back._

_No! Oh hell no! They could not come out when others were around!_

_He tried forcing them back, crushing and twisting them back but they demanded and ordered to be set free. He felt them, felt them grow and twist and shift! Damn that hurt! His back felt so hot, burning with uncontained rage and fury and anger as they forced and fought their way out. He didn't know if he screamed or whined or whimpered but, fucking hell, they hurt._

_He felt them push harder and harder, forcing their way out and they broke down every attempt with rage. Oh hell, it hurt. He felt sweat pouring down his neck and his back, he felt cool tears trickle their way down his face from his eyes. He didn't know if they were open and if they were he didn't see, couldn't see anything past the pain._

_They pushed and soon they were so close to the surface, so close to their freedom and a new wave of pain coursed through his body. No! Don't! No, no, no! You can't! We'd be exposed! Stop, dammit, stop!_

_But they didn't listen to his pleas; they kept pushing and ramming at his back and the pain tore him inside out. He felt them pierce skin, felt them push harder and he felt something thick and wet ooze out of his back. Blood. _

_Shit! Once blood is drawn, they were going to come out no matter what. Shit, shit, shit! _

_Then he felt something different. Two arms wrapped around him, by the shoulder and a warm hand pressed his head towards a shoulder. Someone whispered something, soft and gentle, but he could make out the words. _

_Another wave of electrifying pain and he was sure he screamed. The arms around his held him harder but they did nothing to help him from the pain. They pushed harder and soon they tore free; his chains crumbled away as they surged forth from his back; tearing skin and forcing it to move away to make way for them so that they can stretch free and breath._

_Oh fuck, that hurt and now they were exposed. Damn demanding wings. He opened his eyes and looked down, blood pooled around him, soaking his pants and another pair of pants across his. 'They weren't there earlier...'_

_He slowly looked up and his breath caught in his throat. He knew it must be some kind of illusion because his mother was dead, she could not be sitting across him because her spirit had long gone disappeared from this plane; she had moved on to another plane where all the dead went._

_He felt his eyes drupe and he felt dizzy. He felt the world go hazy before everything went black._

**XxXxX**

_**22nd**_ _**July 1922, 11:34am.  
**_He opened his eyes and glared at the ceiling. How he hated his wings as they did him, he would never know. They were such a nuisance, completely unnecessary.

"Brother?"

Ed looked away from the ceiling and looked at his sister, who was standing near the kitchen entrance. She was wearing a baby pink sweater and dark red pants; she also wore her long sandy blonde hair in a braid. She looked sweet; it reflected her personality nicely as well.

"Yeah, Al? What is it?"

"Could you help me set the table as I make lunch?"

Ed heaved himself off the comfy sofa and walked towards the kitchen and smiled. "Sure, Al. I'll help."

**XxXxX**

_**22nd**_ _**July 1922, 12:25pm.  
**_There was a knock on the door and Al opened the door, Ed right behind her. The Brosh family were all there and smiling; well, the kids were mostly beaming.

"Uncle Eddie! Auntie Al!"

Kirby and Kevin lunged forward and hugged Al before they hugged Ed who laughed and patted them on the head before telling them to remove their shoes before they went into the house, to which they replied, "Okay, Uncle Eddie!"

Al laughed at the face Ed made before she helped the boys out of their jackets and hung them onto the coat rack.

"You boys hungry?"

"Yea we are, Auntie Al!" They both replied enthusiastically as they followed her into the kitchen, no doubt trying to figure out what they'd be getting for lunch.

Ed laughed before he looked at Denny and Maria and he stopped smiling when he noticed the face Maria was giving him.

"You probably heard from Al huh?"

She nodded and looked at him disapprovingly. "You shouldn't have done that, Edward."

"I know but Riza's more important than my health. Anyway, I'm all better," Ed replied innocently.

"But then you still look like shit," Maria responded curtly.

"Side-effects you know. Terrible things anyway," Ed waved it off as he walked to the nearest chair and sat down; Denny and Maria followed shortly.

"So how are the kids anyway?"

Just then both Kevin and Kirby yelled (from the kitchen), "We're both good! Great actually!"

Denny sighed and seem to sink further into the sofa, Maria just smiled and chuckled softly.

"I swear they could be twins if not for the age difference and the appearance in colour," Denny muttered with a sigh.

"Really now? What's so bad about that?"

Denny whacked his hand against his face and groaned. "Now they're both trying to complete each other's sentences and they appear to be succeeding!"

Ed raised an eyebrow and looked at the boys in the kitchen, who seem to be completely absorbed in looking into the oven where a tray of lovely cookies made by Al were being baked nicely.

"Maybe they have some telepathic thing going on? You could never know," Ed suggested with a shrug.

"There could be a chance, since of their heritage of Demon and magic folk. So, Ed, how's your job coming along?"

Ed rubbed the base of his neck and sighed. "Job at the pub's alright and I haven't had the time to do some paintings because I've been busy for a bit. How's yours?"

"Well, I got promoted to editor on the Floet's Newspapers while Maria teaching at the boys school," Denny said with a hint of pride.

"Congrats. To the both of you."

"Lunch's ready!"

"Alright! Now we can eat!" Kevin exclaimed happily.

**XxXxX**

_**22nd**_ _**July 1922, 1:45pm.  
**_Maria Brosh watched as Kirby was lifted onto Ed's shoulders and smiled. Kirby adored Ed like an older brother but always called him Uncle Eddie for the fun of it. Ed was great with kids, no matter how small. Kevin was now tugging at Denny to do the same and he did, albeit with a bit of difficulty.

It was nice, watching the men playing in the park. Maria looked beside her and saw Al watching them with a smile.

"So, Al, how is Ed really?"

Al stopped looking at them and turned her gaze to her, a small frown on her face. Concern and worry were evident in her olive-grey eyes.

"He says he feels fine but he isn't really. He is having the side-effects and they're worse than usual. _'They' _have really taken a toll on him this time but it was his fault. He shouldn't have done what he did but no one could stop him from doing it when he is determined to do so."

Maria frowned and she was about to say something when her boys called out to her, their voices trembling and frightened. She looked at them and stopped.

Edward was on the snow covered ground, lying unconscious with a pool of blood growing from under him, Denny was beside him and looking around frantically and her boys were behind their father looking just as worried and slightly lost.

"BROTHER!"

"EDWARD!"

**Chapter 3: Pain  
**_**22nd**_ _**July 1922, 5:30pm.  
**_Ed awoke to see a very familiar ceiling that was painted with skillful strokes of white paint and he looked around to see the familiar ocean blue colour that stained the walls and wrapped around the blanket he was currently under.

Wait... What happened?

He sat up, his head still foggy and heavy, and it felt like the room was spiraling out of control. He closed his eyes tightly and took a very long, very shuddering breath and it seemed to make the fog in his head dissipate slightly.

He remembered that Maria and Denny had come over for lunch with their kids and after that they had gone to the park... then what? Did they go somewhere or did something happen?

The door opened and he looked over his shoulder - which, he noted belatedly, was covered in the white bandages he was quite familiar with - to see his sister at the door.

"Brother! I'm so glad your okay! We were so worried when you collapsed," Al said with her worried voice.

'_Great, I made my little sister worried... again! What kind of brother am I?' _he thought bitterly as guilt coiled in the pit of his stomach.

"Sorry Al..."

She came closer, sat on the edge of his bed and placed a comforting hand on his. "Are you feeling alright, Brother?"

"Yeah... Everything's fine Al..."

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "That's good."

He looked up at her, "so, what happened after I, you know, passed out?"

She frowned slightly and squeezed his hand.

"We were all freaking out before Maria came to her senses and took control of the situation and ordered us to do things. She told Denny to pick you up and that we'll go back to our place and bandage you up and let you rest. I had to take care of the kids and had to give them some cookies to calm them down while Maria and Denny took care of you in the bathroom."

Her shoulders sagged slightly and her eyes were bright. "They said the blood was coming out of the tears and that they were really bad, Brother. Please don't do something like that. I don't want to lose you."

The tears were streaming over her cheeks and she was holding so tightly that her knuckles were white and that his hand was now hurting. He felt so horrible for making his sister cry. He shifted slightly - and felt his back twinge with pain - and warped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Al. I'll do my best not to," he whispered, sadly.

**XxXxX**

_**25th**_ _**July 1922, 12:30pm.  
**_Ed felt better than he did a day ago. Yesterday he was feeling like absolute shit and today he was only feeling like shit. That's an improvement! Albeit a very very small one.

He was currently lazing about on the couch and thinking. What would the next piece be? Should it be a scenery of a park with snow? Or a park without snow? Decisions, decisions. They were so freaking hard!

The front door opened and he lolled his head to look at the door way. There he saw his sister and a young man; a young man with dark blonde hair and green eyes that looked roughly like his sister's age... Who was this guy?

"Al?"

She froze on the spot for a moment before turning on her heel to look at him, a nervous smile on her face. "B-b-brother! What are you doing home? I thought you went out!"

'_O-ho~ Something's up with Al... Now what is it?'_

"I didn't have any plans today and I didn't tell you I was going anywhere... Why? Is there a problem?"

She was wringing her hands on the end of her red sweater, looking nervous as ever. Yup, she definitely has something that she didn't want him to know...

"N-n-no! Nothing's wrong!"

He quirked an eyebrow and hid a smirk as he shrugged his shoulders. "So, who's the guy?"

"T-this is Fletcher Trignam. Um... We... We're in the same class and I thought that maybe we could... uh... discuss about the project we're doing! Yeah! That's it!"

The guy, Fletcher (now why was that name familiar?), just looked at Al with a smile before he nodded, agreeing with her.

"Yes, we're just going to talk about the project before we run over the plans for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What plans for tomorrow?"

Al looked just about ready to both turn and run or to faint right on the spot.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me... Just don't do anything funny alright?"

"B-b-brother!"

"Aha... Yes. We won't be doing anything 'funny' tomorrow, sir," Fletcher said, amused clearly radiating off of him in waves.

Ed pushed himself off the couch and walked to Fletcher, stretching a hand out. "Name's Edward, call me Ed."

He took his hand and gave a firm shake. "Pleasure to meet you Ed."

'_This'll be fun~'_

**XxXxX**

_**25th**_ _**July 1922, 2:54pm.  
**_The phone rang and Edward whipped his charcoal-covered hands on his 'art-towel' before picking it off the cradle.

"Hello? Elric residence."

"**Hello pipsqueak," **greeted an annoying voice.

Ed's mood dropped like a bomb-shell. So much for an almost nice day. Now it was soiled sour thanks to _him_.

Damn. It was _him_ again.

He gritted his teeth and managed to hiss out, "What do you want?"

The annoying voice laughed and he could just picture the bastard smirking.

"**Aw. Is that how you talk to your older brother, squirt?"**

He harked out a laugh and it was anything but happy. "You? My brother? That's the funniest thing I've heard in years!" Nope, it was sure as hell not funny because it was fucking true!

"**You wound me, brother. After all the things I've done for -"**

"You did _nothing_ for me, you bastard! Except for ruining my day and destroying my work!"

"**You're still unsettled about that? I thought you'd have gotten over it by now."**

"That was my best work and you destroyed it! It had more value than your pathetic life! Now, I've got things to do so have a bad day!"

He slammed the phone down. He placed a trembling hand on his face and a deep sigh blew out from him. Damn that bastard. Ruining everything and destroying his most prized work of art.

Tears of pain and frustration crept down his face as his shoulders shook with quiet sobs. He ruined everything.

He had destroyed him. He had ripped out something very important from his life. He had taken his mother's life away and had destroyed every picture and painting of her. Even the new ones he did.

It hurt too much sometimes. In fact, it always hurt. Every single day.


	5. Chapter 4: Pain

**Chapter 4: Pain**

****_**22nd**_ _**July 1922, 5:30pm.**_

_****_Ed awoke to see a very familiar ceiling that was painted with skillful strokes of white paint and he looked around to see the familiar ocean blue colour that stained the walls and wrapped around the blanket he was currently under.

Wait... What happened?

He sat up, his head still foggy and heavy, and it felt like the room was spiraling out of control. He closed his eyes tightly and took a very long, very shuddering breath and it seemed to make the fog in his head dissipate slightly.

He remembered that Maria and Denny had come over for lunch with their kids and after that they had gone to the park... then what? Did they go somewhere or did something happen?

The door opened and he looked over his shoulder - which, he noted belatedly, was covered in the white bandages he was quite familiar with - to see his sister at the door.

"Brother! I'm so glad your okay! We were so worried when you collapsed," Al said with her worried voice.

'_Great, I made my little sister worried... again! What kind of brother am I?' _he thought bitterly as guilt coiled in the pit of his stomach.

"Sorry Al..."

She came closer, sat on the edge of his bed and placed a comforting hand on his. "Are you feeling alright, Brother?"

"Yeah... Everything's fine Al..."

She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "That's good."

He looked up at her, "so, what happened after I, you know, passed out?"

She frowned slightly and squeezed his hand.

"We were all freaking out before Maria came to her senses and took control of the situation and ordered us to do things. She told Denny to pick you up and that we'll go back to our place and bandage you up and let you rest. I had to take care of the kids and had to give them some cookies to calm them down while Maria and Denny took care of you in the bathroom."

Her shoulders sagged slightly and her eyes were bright. "They said the blood was coming out of the tears and that they were really bad, Brother. Please don't do something like that. I don't want to lose you."

The tears were streaming over her cheeks and she was holding so tightly that her knuckles were white and that his hand was now hurting. He felt so horrible for making his sister cry. He shifted slightly - and felt his back twinge with pain - and warped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Al. I'll do my best not to," he whispered, sadly.

**XxXxX**

_**25th**_ _**July 1922, 12:30pm.  
**_Ed felt better than he did a day ago. Yesterday he was feeling like absolute shit and today he was only feeling like shit. That's an improvement! Albeit a very very small one.

He was currently lazing about on the couch and thinking. What would the next piece be? Should it be a scenery of a park with snow? Or a park without snow? Decisions, decisions. They were so freaking hard!

The front door opened and he lolled his head to look at the door way. There he saw his sister and a young man; a young man with dark blonde hair and green eyes that looked roughly like his sister's age... Who was this guy?

"Al?"

She froze on the spot for a moment before turning on her heel to look at him, a nervous smile on her face. "B-b-brother! What are you doing home? I thought you went out!"

'_O-ho~ Something's up with Al... Now what is it?'_

"I didn't have any plans today and I didn't tell you I was going anywhere... Why? Is there a problem?"

She was wringing her hands on the end of her red sweater, looking nervous as ever. Yup, she definitely has something that she didn't want him to know...

"N-n-no! Nothing's wrong!"

He quirked an eyebrow and hid a smirk as he shrugged his shoulders. "So, who's the guy?"

"T-this is Fletcher Trignam. Um... We... We're in the same class and I thought that maybe we could... uh... discuss about the project we're doing! Yeah! That's it!"

The guy, Fletcher (now why was that name familiar?), just looked at Al with a smile before he nodded, agreeing with her.

"Yes, we're just going to talk about the project before we run over the plans for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What plans for tomorrow?"

Al looked just about ready to both turn and run or to faint right on the spot.

"It's alright. You don't have to tell me... Just don't do anything funny alright?"

"B-b-brother!"

"Aha... Yes. We won't be doing anything 'funny' tomorrow, sir," Fletcher said, amused clearly radiating off of him in waves.

Ed pushed himself off the couch and walked to Fletcher, stretching a hand out. "Name's Edward, call me Ed."

He took his hand and gave a firm shake. "Pleasure to meet you Ed."

'_This'll be fun~'_

**XxXxX**

_**25th**_ _**July 1922, 2:54pm.  
**_The phone rang and Edward whipped his charcoal-covered hands on his 'art-towel' before picking it off the cradle.

"Hello? Elric residence."

"**Hello pipsqueak," **greeted an annoying voice.

Ed's mood dropped like a bomb-shell. So much for an almost nice day. Now it was soiled sour thanks to _him_.

Damn. It was _him_ again.

He gritted his teeth and managed to hiss out, "What do you want?"

The annoying voice laughed and he could just picture the bastard smirking.

"**Aw. Is that how you talk to your older brother, squirt?"**

He harked out a laugh and it was anything but happy. "You? My brother? That's the funniest thing I've heard in years!" Nope, it was sure as hell not funny because it was fucking true!

"**You wound me, brother. After all the things I've done for -"**

"You did _nothing_ for me, you bastard! Except for ruining my day and destroying my work!"

"**You're still unsettled about that? I thought you'd have gotten over it by now."**

"That was my best work and you destroyed it! It had more value than your pathetic life! Now, I've got things to do so have a bad day!"

He slammed the phone down. He placed a trembling hand on his face and a deep sigh blew out from him. Damn that bastard. Ruining everything and destroying his most prized work of art.

Tears of pain and frustration crept down his face as his shoulders shook with quiet sobs. He ruined everything.

He had destroyed him. He had ripped out something very important from his life. He had taken his mother's life away and had destroyed every picture and painting of her. Even the new ones he did.

It hurt too much sometimes. In fact, it always hurt. Every single day.


	6. Sidestory: Enter Mustang

**SideStory: Enter Mustang**

_**29th**_ _**July 1922, 12:08pm.  
**_Edward was doing his grocery shopping. Yes, he did it and only because Al did most of the house work and cooking. She even wrote the list.

_Things to buy:  
Eggs [x]  
Bread [x]  
Butter [x]  
Orange Juice [x]  
Milk [ ]  
Cheese [ ]  
Smoked Meat [x]_

'Okay, so only cheese and milk then... The dreaded dairy products... Wonderful,' Ed thought bitterly as he looked at the list before walking to the correct isle.

Don't get him wrong, he liked cheese and yogurt but he absolutely despised milk and where it came from. It was always the "white liquid secreted from an animal with seven stomachs!" - Or was it six stomachs? - that caused him to dislike it. He was completely justified!

He was just looking at the cheese when a very familiar, very _smug _voice called out to him.

"Oh? Looks like Ed's finally grown taller."

Ed scowled and - yes, he did grow! Thank you very much! - saw the one and only Roy Mustang, his previous _guardian..._ But then he noticed something that made him take a step back and blink at the black haired man.

"What the hell did you do to your face, Mustang?"

"What?" His voice was dripping with his smugness and that made his eyebrow twitch. "Never seen a mustache before?"

"Oh, I have but never on you."

Above the bastard's lip were two separate, thin lines of black hair. And that made him look like a person from Firanka, near Floe. Not to mention stupid.

"And?"

"And what?"

"That's all you have to say? Why, I'm hurt, Edward." Yeah right he sure was hurting.

He turned back to the shelves, back to the egocentric man. "Nah. Don't want your ego to bloat and make you fly to the far west... I heard it's horrible there..."

The man laughed and Ed picked up the milk and cheese before he walked to the nearest counter and paid. "So, how's that girl of yours?"

"Depends. Which one?"

"Oh-ho? Little Ed here has more than one girl? My, my, I never knew you were the type."

"I didn't mean it like that! I've got two very important girls in my life! My sister and Riz!"

Mustang raised a dark eyebrow, a smirk - that damn same smirk! - on his lips. "Riz? Now, who could that be?"

"I refuse to tell you that, Mustang," Ed snarled at the older man as he stomped out of the store and down the street. But Mustang persisted and continued to bother him till they got back to his house where Al was horrified with Mustang's new look and demanded that he shave immediately.

Luckily - or rather unluckily - Mustang was smart for once and complied.


	7. Chapter 5: A Shittastic Day

**Chapter 4: A Shit-tastic Day**

_**26th**_ _**July 1922, 12:03pm  
**_Edward Elric was in a foul mood. He had the worst kind of bombshell the day before and it had pissed him off. So, still feeling sour and pretty bitchy from yesterday, he had shrugged on his coat and stamped out the door into the cold air of Floe.

He had ignored his cheery neighbors that greeted him with a cheerful 'good morning!' (and he was not in the mood for cheery shit like that), the annoying old man yelling at his mostly deaf wife, the man that loved his dog too much and many others. He kept walking, keeping to the sidewalk and occasionally walking over new snow.

He found everything annoying. The cars were annoying, the bikes were more annoying and the stupid dog that never shut up (which belonged to a professor in the university that Al studied at) was barking at people that were passing by. He glared at the fat but incredibly small dog as it bounced up and down (inside the house) barking mad.

If only he could kill the stupid son-of-a-bitch then the world would be less annoying... If only for a little while, what with his bastard half-brother still around... Annoying hotheaded, palm tree looking, shit eating, hell raising, fucktard!

With a snort of anger, he turned on his heel and walked on. Hoping to burn away the annoying, beastly rage that had managed to trickle into his being, remaining contained within his mind and flesh. It was frustrating when he got like this, it was completely unhealthy and he knew it. The doctors had told him that when he was younger and more prone to 'accidents'.

He went to the shopping district only to huff in annoyance when he saw that it was as busy as ever. Must have a sale somewhere... Stupid sale. Maybe he should check the bookstore? Might help him cool off... Or maybe not. Only one way to find out then, he thought.

He turned left and made his way to his regular bookstore named 'Crested Dragon' owned by a good friend of his. So not only was it one of his favorite places to get books, he also got great discounts for it.

He continued his walk, a little bit less annoyed and angry then earlier, to the medium sized bookstore that seemed to have nearly all the books there were in the world. If they didn't have it then they'd just order it.

He pushed the dark brown door open, the tinkling of the small bronze bell announcing his arrival to the people inside. The smell of paper, leather-bound covers and ink penetrated his nose and he breathed in deeply, savoring the sweet scent.

He closed the door behind him and was greeted by his friend's wife, Lan Fan. She smiled at him as she waved at him from the counter; glasses perched on her narrow nose. He smiled and walked over, glad to see that she was doing alright.

"Good morning Lan Fan," Ed greeted with a smile.

The Zianese woman smiled back, "Good morning to you too, Edward."

"So, how are you doin'?"

"I'm doing fine and Ling's out by the way. Said he needed to get the new stock. Fu's with him too."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "So, you're all alone here?"

She shook her head. "No, I've got Schiezka to help around." She paused. "But I'm not too sure where she is in the store right now, though."

Ed nodded before he dismissed himself and went off to look around for a book (or a couple number of books) that might keep him entertained for awhile.

He browsed through the shelves, hand tracing over the spines of books and occasionally skimming through a book here and there. But still nothing seemed to grab his attention, it kept wandering back to his bastard of an older brother, filling him to the brim with anger.

Having had enough of the suddenly looming shelves and the suffocating smell of books he walked out of the store, remembering to say goodbye to Lan Fan and to send his regards to her family, into the crisp cold air.

He took a right and walked along, ignoring the people as they carried on in their lives, ignoring the buzz of the streets as he made his way to her. It didn't matter that his back twinged every now and then or that his legs were starting to cramp.

He was angry and upset so he'd figured that it was time he visited. Soon the busy street of the town centre was left behind him with all the buzzing people and honking bikes. He walked on, taking a left when he came to a small road spiraling through the trees and downwards.

Only bare trees with their bark rotting off and their branches spread out greeted him as he walked the crunching of snow under his sneakers, an occasional cawing of a crow here and there but still it was quiet.

He entered the cemetery and walked towards a very familiar headstone. He squatted down and placed a hand on the cold grey stone and brushed over it lovingly. He smiled sadly as he read the words - always there and always the same - and said, "Hey, mum. Long time no see..."

**X**

_**26th**_ _**July 1922, 2:19pm  
**_Jean Havoc smiled as he walked out of the store, a little beat to his steps as he walked. He was happy, oh so very happy. He had managed to get a date with a lovely redhead named Lisa Howards who agreed to go for a movie with him on Sunday. He grinned, at least now he didn't have to go to that romance movie all alone.

Sure, most people would think he didn't like romance movies but the people who knew him best knew that he was obsessed with them. He just enjoys watching other people on the screen and the plot happened to have a bit (but most of the time, it had a lot) of romance tossed into it.

He was so happy that he almost missed the golden hair that belonged to the one person he knew since nursery. He looked at his best friend, wondering why he had such a sad look on his face. Did something happen?

Maybe he was upset that Black Hayate had passed away? Could be or it could be something else completely, he thought before he shrugged and walked over. He slung an arm around the blonde and grinned at him, "Hey there Ed! How you doing?"

The golden eyed man looked at him before he sighed and mumbled, "Had a fucking horrible day..."

Jean smiled and ruffled Ed's head. "Can't be that bad now can it? Surely something good happened?"

Ed glared at him. "If you call waking up on the wrong side of the bed, then finding out that the heater to the shower isn't working and you've got to shower with ice cold water, then going out and having a whole hoard of dogs chase you then step in a pile of dog crap before coming here to mope about it is called a good day then you're crazy."

Jean blinked. That was one hell of a bad day. "Why'd you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Ed kicked a rock, his mouth a frown and brows knitted together. "I got a phone call for the palm tree fucktard."

Jean took a sharp breath. Crap, he called?

"So, how are you handling it?"

Ed chuckled mirthlessly before looking at him. "Not very well I think. Can't seem to think about anything else."

"All right-y then! Come one," Jean said enthusiastically as he jumped up. Ed looked at him, head cocked to the side in a silent question.

"Come on, we're going to make sure you forget that!"

"Oh? Tell me how you plan to do that Great Level Four Demon named Jean Havoc?"

Jean tugged him up and pumped a fist up and said, "We're going to get ice-cream!"

Ed sometimes wondered if Havoc would ever be sane... or if he had ever been sane in the first place... He sighed and was promptly dragged to the ice-cream stall. Well, at least Jean was paying...

**X**

**A/N: I'll have Chapter 7 up here soon. I was waiting to get permission to adopt this before I do anything. So, I'll start typing Chapter 7 here in a little bit. Hopefully I'll have it up here in the next week or two. Up to this point was the original authors stuff. His user name is and he was kind enough to turn this story over to my care. Anyway, I'll have my own stuff from here and on. I'm not sure how long had plan this. But I'll continue to write this til it's the end. Anyway so please be patient and hopefully you'll enjoy the way I write this story. Until next time. Sergeant Daniel out.**


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